THE Welsh electorate has voted Yes in the referendum on the law-making powers of the National Assembly for Wales.

It means the Assembly will no longer have to ask permission from Westminster to make laws relating to schools, hospitals and the remainder of the 20 devolved areas in which it can already legislate.

When the last result was declared today (Friday, March 4) all 22 counties except one, Monmouthshire, backed change. Turnout is provisionally put at 35%.

The final result saw 517,132 vote Yes and 297,380 say No – a 63.5% to 36.5% winning margin.

Earlier today Flintshire gave an emphatic Yes to greater Assembly power. Officials at Flint Pavilion began counting the votes this morning and of those who voted 21,119 voted Yes (62%), while 12,913 said No (38%).

The figure is a huge 24% swing toward Yes since the Welsh Assembly devolution vote was held in 1997.

Wrexham voted Yes by 17,606 to 9,863 while Denbighshire also voted Yes, by 15,793 to 9,742.

Just under 30% of those eligible to vote in Flintshire – 29.4% – did so, one of the lowest in Wales.

For reaction to the result see Thursday’s Flintshire Chronicle or log on to www.flintshirechronicle.co.uk.